Our History

“I Feel Like This Place Is Calling Me”

The next morning, I awoke to the gentle sound of waves and decided to take a walk along the shore. As I strolled, a deep sense of belonging washed over me. I turned to my girlfriend and said, “I feel like this place is calling me.” She chuckled and replied, “What are you going to do here? Your offices are in Herzliya, Israel.” I admitted, “I don’t know, but it just feels like I need to stay here.”

For a long time, I had been yearning for significant life changes. As a successful businessman with a primary office in Sri Lanka, I began to consider the possibility of staying here and running my businesses remotely.

Later, back at our bungalow, I shared my feelings with the couple we were travelling with. I opened up about my spiritual awakening and my strong sense that I needed to remain in this place. They listened intently and then shared their own profound experience from the night before: after returning from the sauna, they had poured themselves some wine but found themselves unable to drink it, feeling an overwhelming sense of purity and not wanting to taint their bodies or emotions.

The Search for a Monk

My immediate thought was to create a holistic healing rehab centre, complete with a sauna to aid in physical detoxification. I shared this idea with the couple, and they agreed it was a wonderful concept. The husband then mentioned a monk on the island who was widely consulted on matters of healing, and suggested I speak with him.

A sharp sensation in my gut told me I had to meet this monk. I asked my friend to arrange a meeting, urgently emphasising the importance of this encounter. My friend cautioned that it would not be easy — the monk was the spiritual father of Koh Phangan and was always very busy. Securing an appointment could take two to three weeks. Despite this, I pressed him to make it happen as soon as possible, and he promised to do his best.

In the meantime, I needed to find a villa or resort with ten or more rooms to establish the rehab centre. My girlfriend and I headed up the hill towards the reception to check out, planning to return to Koh Samui. As we approached, I noticed a monk standing to the left. I ran over to my friend and asked if this was the monk he had mentioned — and to my surprise and delight, he confirmed it was the same monk. This serendipitous encounter felt like a sign that I was on the right path, and that my vision of creating a holistic healing rehab centre was more attainable than ever.

Hours of Conversation, and a Decision

We sat together for many hours, during which I shared my story of addiction, recovery, and my businesses. We talked for over four hours, laughing and crying together. By the end of our conversation, he asked me to return the next day.

When I returned, we again spent hours deep in conversation. The monk shared his own journey, from being a businessman in Switzerland to becoming a monk. At one point, he asked if he could hug me, and I gladly agreed. As we embraced, he told me something that left me stunned: he had been waiting four years for me to come to the island. He said he believed wholeheartedly in my project, without even knowing what it looked like or how it would work.

The monk then asked if I thought the resort where I had stayed would be a suitable place for my project. I replied that it was one of the most beautiful places in the world.

I was astounded. To prove his sincerity, he explained that he had called me back that day because he had already spoken to his lawyer about transferring the resort to my name.